• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.367-376
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• 2014

This study's purpose was to investigate the characteristics of a traditional Korean rice wine containing lactic acid bacteria (LAB), called makgeolli. The makgeolli was brewed with the alcohol-tolerant Pediococcus acidilactici strain K3, and was analyzed for LAB cell counts, alcoholic content, turbidity, pH, total acidity, amino nitrogen, total sugars, reducing sugars, solid contents, and organic acids. The physicochemical properties of the makgeolli were mostly maintained during fermentation (9 d) and storage (15 d). We also monitored the properties of LAB-supplemented commercial makgeollies, after adding P. acidilactici K3 at a concentration of $10^7CFU/ml$ makgeolli, for one month. Most of their properties, such as alcoholic content, turbidity, pH, total acidity, amino nitrogen, total sugars, reducing sugars, solid contents, and organic acids, were preserved during storage at $10^{\circ}C$, suggesting that makgeolli supplemented with live LAB can be produced. These results suggest that alcohol-tolerant P. acidilactici K3 can be used for makgeolli brewing either as a starter or as a supplement.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.346-353
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• 2010

Due to the globalization of Korean foods, there are great interests in traditional Korean foods. Thus, the enhancement and development of makgeolli processing have been constantly accomplished. In case of makgeolli, the storage stability is very important because the fermentation of makgeolli during distribution is still progressed. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate storage stability of makgeolli by separation storage methods. During the 30-day storage at $10^{\circ}C$, pH value, titratable acidity, color value, sugar content, reducing sugar content, and alcohol content were measured. Microbial cell counts were also evaluated. Reducing sugar content was decreased after 10 days for all the samples. In the case of titratable acidity and color, these values were constantly increased with storage time. Especially, the yellowness value of the precipitate of makgeolli was increased by two times than that of the beginning. There was a decreasing tendency for lactic acid bacteria with storage time. In case of yeast, there was a decreasing tendency after 15 days, but the significance was not detected. The quality changes in the samples from centrifugal separation were relatively less than the control. Therefore, the separation storage method could affect the enhancement of makgeolli quality during distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.10
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• pp.1682-1689
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• 2013

The objective of the present study is to elucidate the physicochemical and microbial properties of Korean traditional rice wine, Makgeolli, supplemented with mulberry during the fermentation process. Four hundred grams of mulberries (20% of the total amount of rice) were ground and incorporated into the rice solution (3.5 L of distilled water, 2.0 kg of rice, 28.0 g of yeast, and 80.0 g of nuruk). The rice solution was then placed in a water bath set at $28^{\circ}C$ and left to ferment for 7 days. The alcohol contents between the control and mulberry Makgeolli were not significantly different. The pH values of the control and mulberry Makgeolli decreased and the total acidity values were elevated after a 7-day fermentation. In the microbial analysis, the total viable cell count, lactic acid bacteria count and yeast count increased considerably through the 7-day fermentation process. For all the samples, the glucose and succinic acid contents were highest among all free sugars and organic acids, respectively. Forty-eight different volatile compounds were found in all the samples after the 7-day fermentation process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1736-1743
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• 2017

Sourdough is made by fermentation of dough by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast to improve bread properties like volume, flavor, and texture. A Korean traditional sourdough was made by fermenting rice flour with rice wine (makgeolli) and used to make sponge-like bread (jeung-pyun). The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial diversity of makgeolli products and their influence on the organoleptic quality of jeung-pyun. Three commercial makgeolli were tested for jeung-pyun production, with each product exhibiting varied dough swelling rates and organoleptic qualities, and among them, J-product was ranked highest in texture and taste. Microbial analysis of the three makgeolli also showed a big difference in their population and diversity. J-product had the highest LAB and yeast counts, and the predominant species were Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus brevis, Leuconostoc pseudomenteroides, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using J-product, sourdough was fermented at $25^{\circ}C$, $30^{\circ}C$, and $35^{\circ}C$, and the microbial growth in and textural properties of jeung-pyun were examined by instrumental and sensory tests. At high temperature ($35^{\circ}C$), the rates of dough swelling and acidification were fast due to rapid microbial growth mainly caused by LAB, resulting in a short leavening time and soft and sour jeung-pyun. Sensory tests showed consumer preference for the soft and mild-sour jeung-pyun. This study shows that LAB in makgeolli play key roles in production of jeung-pyun, influencing the textural and sensory properties. For the production of high-quality jeung-pyun, development of LAB starters with high gas productivity and low acidity and establishment of an optimal fermentation procedure for rice dough are necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.164-173
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• 2012

For development of new high-value Korean traditional fermented food by using bioactive fungi and bacteria, Nuruk, Makgeolli and Cheonggukjang were prepared by mold, yeasts and bacteria from Korean traditional fermented foods and their physiological functionalities were investigated. Aspergillus oryzae N152-1 Nuruk showed the highest antihypertensive angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory activity(57.2%), and Makgeolli made by Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y111-5 and commercial JS Ipguk (solid cultures of saccharifying enzyme-producing mold) was showed 42.0% of anti-obesity ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Among various Cheonggukjang, No 463 Cheonggukjang made by Brevibacterium iodinum NCDO 613(T) was showed the highest fibrinolytic activity (size of clear zone: 28 mm) and good anti-obesity ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.307-313
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• 2016

To develop a functional strawberry Makgeolli, we produced Makgeolli using strawberry as an additive and then investigated its physicochemical properties. Among 7 different alcohol-fermenting yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae JSK104 produced 17.4% ethanol on the 7th day of fermentation and was selected for use in the brewing of strawberry Makgeolli. Changes in physicochemical properties, numbers of yeast and lactic acid bacteria, and antihypertensive angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity were investigated during the fermentation of strawberry Makgeolli. The pH tended to decrease and the total acidity increased as the fermentation period elapsed. The ethanol content reached about 17% on the 7th day after fermentation, and the numbers of yeast and lactic acid bacteria reached a maximum on the 1st day of fermentation and then maintained a constant number. The antihypertensive angiotensin-converting enzyme activity reached a maximum after 5 days of fermentation and then was not significantly changed afterwards.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.391-396
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the changes in yeast cell number, organic acid and total acid during the fermentation and distribution processes for enhancement of preservation of Makgeolli. Organic acids, including lactic acid, succinic acid, malic acid and citric acid, were increased with fermentation time, while oxalic acid, phosphoric acid and acetic acid were not detected, respectively. Production of organic acids leaded to pH reduction in Makgeolli. In case of Makgeolli kept at $4^{\circ}C$, there was no change in organic acids until 20 days. On the other hand, when observing the change in organic acid of Makgeolli kept at $25^{\circ}C$, concentration of lactic acid was decreased, while citric acid was not detected from the beginning of storage. However, acetic acid was detected from 10th day and rapidly increased at the 25th day. Therefore, it is suggested that the current expiration date (10 days in a cooler) could be extended.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.241-246
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• 2016

In the present study, ethanol extracts and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were extracted from the lees of Ehwa Makgeolli containing oriental herbs, a commercialized traditional Korean rice wine, and the prepared lees samples were designated as from KSD-E3-1 to KSD-E3-5. First, their effects on cell viability and on the expression of pro-apoptotic ATF3 and NAG-1 genes in human colorectal HCT116 cells were investigated. Among the treated lees samples, the hexane fraction (KSD-E3-2) and the ethyl acetate fraction (KSD-E3-3) of lees extracts from Ehwa Makgeolli significantly reduced cell viabilities, in a dose dependent manner. The treatment with KSD-E3-2 and KSD-E3-3 also increased the expression of pro-apoptotic NAG-1 and ATF-3 genes and their proteins, which were detected with RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. In addition, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage was detected by treatment with the fraction KSD-E3-3, indicating that KSD-E3-3 could induce apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Interestingly, this PARP cleavage was recovered by transfection of NAG-1 small interfering RNA. The results indicate that NAG-1 is one of the genes responsible for apoptosis induced by the fraction KSD-E3-3 from Ehwa Makgeolli. Overall, the findings may help in understanding the molecular mechanisms of the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities mediated by the lees of Ehwa Makgeolli.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.438-445
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• 2011

This study was performed to examine the physicochemical characteristics of Korean traditional fermented liquor added with citron juice and the levels (3, 6 and 9%) of citron (Citrus junos) juice during two-step-brewing. The pH of traditional Korean fermented liquor added with citron juice increased after 3 days of fermentation and then the pH values decreased from the sixth day. pH increased again at the end of fermentation. Total acidity increased after 5 days of fermentation until the sixth day, then decreased rapidly but increased slightly up to 12 days. Alcohol content increased to 12.76-14.32% after 12 days of fermentation. As the amount of added citron juice increased, alcohol content decreased. Amino acids increased after 12 days of fermentation. A sensory evaluation appearance, flavor, sourness, sweetness, bitterness and overall acceptance of Korean traditional fermented liquor added with 6% citron showed higher values than those of the control.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.11-11
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• 2015

A total of sixty-six samples of Nuruk, a fermention starter used to make the Korean traditional rice wine, Makgeolli, were collected from central and southern regions of Korea in 2013 and 2014. We classified two groups of the Nuruk samples, "commercial" and "home-made", according to the manufacturing procedure and purpose of use. Commercial Nuruks were made in a controlled environment where the temperature and humidity are fixed and the final product is supplied to Makgeolli manufacturers. Home-made Nuruks were made under uncontrolled conditions in the naturally opened environment and were intended for use in the production of small amounts of home-brewed Makgeolli. We obtained more than five hundred isolates including filamentous fungi and yeasts from the Nuruk samples followed by identification of fungal species. Also we stored glycerol stocks of each single isolate at $-70^{\circ}C$. We identified the species of each isolate based on the sequences of ITS regions amplified with two different universal primer pairs. We also performed morphological characterization of the filamentous fungi and yeast species through observations under the microscope. We investigated the major fungal species of commercial and home-made Nuruks by counting the colony forming units (CFU) and analyzing the occurrence tendency of fungal species. While commercial Nuruks contained mostly high CFU of yeasts, home-made Nuruks showed relatively high occurrence of filamentous fungi. One of the representative Nuruk manufacturers used both domestic wheat bran and imported ones, mainly from US, as raw material. Depending on the source of ingredient, the fungal diversity was somewhat different. Another commercial Nuruk sample was collected twice, once in 2013 and again in 2014, and showed different diversity of fungal species in each year. Nuruks obtained from the southern regions of Korea and Jeju island showed high frequency of yeast such as Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Pichia species as well as unique filamentous fungus, Monascus species. S. fibuligera was easily found in many Nuruk samples with high CFU. The major filamentous fungi were Aspergillus, Lichtheimia, Mucor and Penicillium species. In order to further our understanding of the isolates and their potential industrial applications, we assayed three enzymes, alpha amylase, glucoamylase and acid protease from 140 isolates out of about five hundred isolates and selected about 10 excellent strains with high enzyme activities. With these fungal isolates, we will perform omics analyses including genomics, transcriptomics, metabolic pathway analyses, and metabolomics followed by whole genome sequencing of unique isolates associated with the basic research of Nuruk and that also has applications in the Makgeolli making process.